Hundreds of residents wept yesterday as fire engulfed some parts of Dakibiu, a suburb in Jabi area of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The fire, which brought activities in the suburb to a standstill, razed more than 50 makeshift houses occupied mostly by poor northerners. Many of the occupants and traders were seen scrambling to salvage their goods and properties from the burning inferno.

Efforts by residents to put out the fire yielded little or no result as the fire was quick to spread around the wooden buildings, called ‘batchers’ by residents.

The arrival of the federal fire service officials could not help as all the buildings were already destroyed.
A motorcycle parts dealer whose shop was gutted wanted to jump into the fire but for the timely intervention of residents.

According to Yusuf Toka, an eyewitness, “nobody knew what caused the fire, it started around 3:30p.m. and was first noticed in the middle of the wood houses.”

An official of the fire service, who spoke in haste while putting out the little remaining fire, said that the cause of the fire could not be ascertained yet.